bradbury



2 Sheets-Sheet v2.

(No Model.)

.BRADBURY. GLQTH TENTBRING MAGHINE.

PatentedMar. 15, 1892.

Nonms virus c., mmcrufnn., wAsmNmoN n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED BRADBURY, OF GREENFIELD, ENGLAND.

CLOTH-TENTERING MACHINE.

\ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,741, dated'March 15, 1892.

Application l/ed June 4, 1891l To all whom it 72mg concern.'

Be it known that I, ALFRED BRADBURY, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Lancaster, in the Kingdom of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cloth-Tentering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines or apparatus for tentering, stretching, and widening woven fabrics; and it consists in improved arrangements or mechanism for self-actingly moving the chainpulleys over which the chains, with pins or clips for holding the fabric, pass at the front end, according to the variations in the width or the position of the selvages of the fabric, so that the pins or clips seize the fabric always at the same distance from the selvage, thus preventing damage to the fabric and saving the labor of watching and regulating the position of the chain-pulleys by hand.

In carrying my invention into effect I arrange below the chains, near to the front end of the machine, a cross-beam or bed, on which two carriages are mounted and slide on suitable guides. Each carriage has attached to it a fork or its equivalent, entering acircular groove in the boss of the respective chainpulley, which slides on its shaft and is driven by a sliding key fitting a groove in the shaft, so that the chain-pulley follows the lateral movements of the carriage. This movement is produced automatically by the following arrangement: On a bracket fixed to the carriage I suspend a pendulous lever or linger in such a manner that the upper end of the same is held against the edge of the cloth in front of the chain-pulley by the weight of the lower end. The latter is bent at the bottom end and forms a catch for a plate formed with a number of steps or 4teeth overhanging one beyond the other, which plateis attached l to a lever fixed on a horizontal shaft on the Serial No. 395,048. (No model.)

the stepped plate controls mechanism for moving the carriage, arranged in such a manner that when the finger catches the middle step or tooth no movement of the carriage takes place; but when it catches one of the reeth below or above the middle one the cartiage is moved to the `same side the upper end of the finger has moved and for the same or nearly the same distance, so that the chainpulley is likewise moved for this distance, and the teeth or clips on the chain always enter or seize upon the cloth at the same or nearly the same distance from its edge.

In order that my invention may bev more clearly ascertained, I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings, on which- Figure 1 shows a side view of the carriage, and Fig. 2 a plan of the same with controllingnger and mechanism; Fig. 3, a back view of the carriage; Fig. 4, a front view of the finger and catch-lever; Figs. 5 and 6, enlarged views of the reversing mechanism for shifting the carriage in either direction; Figs. 7 and 8, enlarged views of the catch-levers; Figs. 9 and l0, enlarged views of the nger.

Only one carriage on the right-hand side of the machine is shown on the drawings, that on the other side being arranged in the same way symmetrically to the former.

On the drawings, a is a shaft supported and rotated in bearings on the machine-frame sides, carrying on each side a chain-pulley a', rotated with the shaft by meansl of a sliding key fixed to the pulley and sliding in a groove a2 of the shaft. The chain-pulley is formed with teeth a3, entering slots in the link chain b, Figs. I and 2, in the usual manner. The links of the chain have lateral projections b', Figs. 2, 3, and 4with pins or their equivalent, which enter or seize upon the edge of the cloth c, and, carrying it forward, stretch or widen out the clot-h in the ordinary manner. The cloth c is drawn off a roller and passes over a guide-rail c', Fig. I, to the chains. bed or cross-rail d is fixed upon the frame sides of the machine and carries on each side a carriage d', which can slide on it. Upon the carriage an angle-bracket cl2 is fixed, to which an arm cl3 is attached, which enters a circular groove in the boss a4 of the chainpulley a and holds the latter in its position upon the shaft a or moves it to one or the IOC) other side when the carriage (Z shifts its position on the bed (Z. To the end of the arm (Z3 a bracket e is fixed, with a forked bracket e', on which a finger f can oscillate, Figs. i and lf. The fingerf is bent, as shown by Figs. l, 4, and 9, and fitted with an adjustable top part f', which can be set to touch the edge of the cloth c and is held against it by the weight of the lower part of the finger f. The latter is Tshaped, or formed with lateral projectioiis at the bottom end` so as to catch with one of these one of the steps or teeth of the stepped plate g, fixed to lever g', when the latter is lifted and dropped inthe manner hereinafter described. In order to insure the finger catching the teeth fairly on their hori- Zonta-l surfaces, a second lever g2 is mounted loosely uponthe shaft 7i, on which lever g is fixed and is lifted by a bracket (3, fixed to the lever g. The level' g2 is formed with a series of triangular notches corresponding in width with the steps of the plate t, and the projection on the end of the fingerf is made V-shaped at the part extending under the lever g2, so as to fit into the notches. The bracket g3 is so adjusted that when the lever g' drops it allows the lever g2 to fall upon the end of the finger f and fix it by one of its notches before the plateg touches it, so as to bring the finger fairly under one of the steps of plate g. XVhcn the edge of the cloth c pushes the finger f `to the right, so that the plate g is caught on the fourth step, as shown by Fig. 4, the lever g, and shaft ZL are thereby held in the position shown. The shaft Zt controls mechanism for moving the carriage (Z, arranged in such a manner that when the plate g Vis caught on step Lt the carriage is shifted to the right, so that the chain-pulley a and chain Z1 and its pins or their equivalents are moved in the same way and seize the cloth at the same distance from its edge as before. The fulerum e is shifted thereby to the right along with the carriage, so that if the edge of the cloth remains in the same place on rail c as before the lever f moves to the left at the top and to the right at the bottom during the next lift of the lever g and catches the plateg on the third step, when no movement of the carriage takes place and the cliaiii-pulley remains in its place till the edge of cloth c shifts again its position on rail c'. lVheii the fingerf is shifted to such an extent that the plate g is caught on the fifth step, the carriage is shifted for double the distance to the right, while when it catches on steps 2 and l it is shifted for one or two spaces to the left. The chain-pulley in this way fellows the variations in the position of the edge of the cloth as it passes over rail c', and the pins or clips on the chain always enter into or seize upon the cloth at the saine distance from its edge.

The mechanism for shifting the carriage controlled by the stepped plate-lever g may be variously arranged, that shown on the d #mwings and hereinafter described being only one way in which this can be done conveniently and simply. It is arranged as follows: The shaft 7L is carried in bearings Zt h2, Fig. 2, fixed upon the carriage CZ', and has a lever h3, with bowl Ztl fixed on it, which is lifted by a cam z' once during each revolution of the shaft li. The latter revolves in bearings 2 3, fixed on the carriage df, and is rotated through spur-wheels Zt Zt by a bandpulley 7a2, running on a stud fixed in bracket 7a3 on the carriage d. rlhe band-pulley is rotated by an endless rope or band from any convenient revolving shaft of the machine. Upon the shaft t" two bevel-wheels Z Z', with clu teli-teetli on their backs, are loosely mounted, as well as two separate clutch-boxes m m', which may slide on a key fixed to shaft t', and thus be rotated with the same, er they may be fixed on the shaft and the latter arranged so that it can slide endwise. The clutch-boxes are held out of gear with the bevel-wlieels by springs m2 m3 and can be put into gear independently of each other in the manner hereinafter described. The bevel-wheelsZ Z both gear with another bevel-wheel n, fixed upon the screw-spindle 7L', which can turn in the *bearings n2, fixed upon the carriage, and is held endwise in the same by the bevel-wheel 'n and a collar or hoop n3. rlhe spindle is threaded through a nut o, Afixed in a bracket o', which is bolted to the bed (Z. As one or the other bevel-wheel Z or Z is connected to its clutch-box and rotated with the shaft t" the bevel-wheel n and spindle 7i will be rotated in one or the other direction and the carriage CZ' drawn to the left or to the right.

The clutcli-boxes m and m', Figs. 5 and (i, are engaged with the clutches on the bevelwheels Z and Z by means of levers j) and p', fixed upon the shaft ZL, and of cams fixed upon the clutch-box bosses. Upon each of the latter a double cani 9 i" is fixed, consisting of a lowerlonger part fr and an upper shorter one i" of about half thelength of the former, formed with an inclined or rounded portion at the leading end. The levers p p', fitted with steel ends bent toward the shaft, are so set that the distance of their points p2 p3 slightly exceeds the diameter of the outer cams and so that when the catch-plate g is caught by the finger j" on the middle step and the shaft Z1, in its middle position both levers are clear of the cams. Then the plate q is caught on the fourth step, the end p2 of leverp is lifted into the pathway of the cam i" on clutch-box m, and by means of the incline on the cam pushes the clutcli-box into gear with the wheel Z, so that the wheel n and spindle n are turned for a short tinie till the lever end p2 slips oli' the cam i", when the spring mi disengages the clutch. The carriage is thereby moved to the right of the cloth in the manner hereiiibefore described. iVhen the plate g is caught on step 5, the lever p isheld up higher and its end comes into contact with the lower cam i" and pushes the clutch fm into gear with wheel Z and holds it for a longer IOO IIO

IZO

time, so that the spindle n is rotated longer and the carriage CZ moved to the right for a greater distance. When the plate is caught on steps 2 and 1, the lever ,In is brought to act on the cams r and r on clutch-box m,push ing it into and holding it in gear with the wheel Z, whereby the spindle n is rotated for a shorter or longer interval, respectively, in the opposite direction and the carriage correspondingly shifted to the left. The carriage CZ in this way follows the movement of the upper end of finger f and is shifted according to the varying position of the edge of the cloth c on the rail c', so that the pins or clips on the chain seize the cloth at the same distance from the edge, the speed of the shaft t" on the carriage being determined so that the mechanisms hereinbefore described act and shift the carriage while a point on the edge of the cloth passes from the iingerf to the chain b.

The way1 in which the wheels Zand Z are connected to the shaft t" for a shorter or longer period, according to the catch-plate g being caught by the finger f on the steps below or above the central step, may be modified. The plate g may be made with more or less steps than five.

The apparatus for moving the chain-wheels automatically for a distance corresponding to the movement of the edge of the cloth at the point where the finger f f touches the same is applicable to all kinds of machines for tentering, stretching, or widening fabrics of any kind where chains with pins or clips for seizing the edges are employed.

I claim- 1. The combination, with a machine fortentering, stretching, and widening fabrics by means of diverging chains, to which the fabrics are attached, of an oscillating finger ff', resting against the edge of the fabric, and an intermittingly-lifted lever g', with a stepped plate g, caught in different positions by said finger, front chain-pulleys, and mechanism for moving said pulleys in the same way as the part of the finger resting against the fabric is moved, said mechanism lying in the path of said finger, and means for lifting the lever g.

2. The combination,with a machine for tentering, stretching, and widening fabrics by means of diverging chains, to which the fabrics are attached, of a chain-pulley a', a shaft a therefor, a lever g', a stepped plate g, a linger f f a crossbed CZ, with a sliding carriage CZ rios are attached, of a chain-pulley a', a shaft l a therefor, a lever g', a mechanism controlled thereby, a stepped plate g, mechanism for shifting the carriage CZ', a cross-bed CZ, a sliding carriage CZ at. each side of the end of the machine, an arm d2 d3, attached to said carriage CZ and holding and moving the chainpulley a on the shaft a, a rotary cross-shaft fi', with two wheels loosely mounted-thereon and connected to and disconnected from the shaft for varying periods by mechanism controlled by the position of the intermittentlylifted lever g', with stepped plate g, and a iin ger f f resting against the edge of the fabric and catching said lever, said wheels actuating the mechanism for shifting the carriage CZ inward when one of said wheels is connected to the cross-shaft z" and outward when the other wheel is so connected.

4. The combination, with amachine for tentering, stretching, and widening fabrics by meansof diverging chains, to which the fabric is attached, of a chain-pulley a', a shaft a therefor, a -carn z', a cross-shaft i', a stepped plate g, cams r r', clutch-boxes m m', a screwspindle n', a cross-bed CZ, kwith a carriage CZ sliding thereon at each side of the machine, an arm (Z2 d3, attached to said 'carriage and Y holding and moving the chain-pulley a on the shaft a, a finger f f carriedv by said arm, a shaft h, supported in bearings onl the carriage and intermittingly rocked by the cam t' on the rotating cross-shaft Z mounted on the carriage CZ', a lever h3, xed on said shaft h,a lever g', with stepped plate g, and levers p and IOO p,fiXed upon shaft h and acting according to the position said shaft is held in in consequence of said finger ff catching various steps ofthe stepped plate g upon cams r or r on clutch-boxes m or m on said cross-shaft i', bevel-Wheels Z and Z, driven by said clutchboxes when engaged with them, a bevel-wheel n, gearing with saidwheels Z Z and fixed upon the screw-spindle n', a bearing n for said spindle fixed to carriage CZ', and a nut o, fixed to the cross-bed CZ, substantially as hereinbefore described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED BRADBURY.

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